MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING
Tuesday, October 14, 2014 at 7:00 P.m.
Town Hall, 2nd Floor Conference Room
302 Main Street
I. CALL TO ORDER
II. ROLL CALL
Members Present
Walter Smith
Robert Fish
Emily Grochowski
Richard Esty
Pat Ingellis
Members Absent
Nina Garrett
Jerry Brophy
Land Use Department Staff Present
Sandy Prisloe, Environmental Planner
Kathleen Noyes, Recording Clerk
Four members of the public were in attendance.
III. REGULAR BUSINESS
A. Minutes
MOTION to approve the minutes from the Conservation Commission’s Regular Meeting of September 9, 2014 with the following correction: on page 4, add after the last sentence under Judy Preston’s presentation, “The Conservation Commission is planning to develop and implement a guidance document on ecological landscaping for the town.”.; MADE by R. Esty; SECONDED by P. Ingellis; VOTED IN FAVOR: W. Smith, P. Ingellis, R. Fish, R. Esty, ; OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: E. Grochowski; APPROVED: 4-0-1.
- Correspondence and Announcements
W. Smith shared information about the CT River Coastal Conservation District’s 67th Annual Meeting on Saturday, October 25, 2014 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Urban Oaks Organic Farm in New Britain, CT.
The CT River Watershed Council’s Fall 2014 newsletter was received.
Also received was information about a seminar with Landscape Designer Kathy Connolly, jointly sponsored by the CT Forest & Park Association and the New England Wild Flower Society on Saturday, October 18, 2014 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at CFPA Headquarters in Middlefield, CT.
W. Smith shared an article and photo about the Solar Challenge from the 9/25/14 issue of The Harbor News. E. Grochowski and R. Fish are in the photo and E. Grochowski is quoted in the article.
The Lower CT River and Coastal Region Land Trust Exchange Natural Resource Based Strategic Conservation Plan – a GIS Overlay Analysis draft mission statement was received.
The Conservation Commission received a flyer requesting their assistance in co-sponsoring a public input meeting of the Long Island Sound Study’s Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) which is a plan to protect and restore Long Island Sound.
MOTION to co-sponsor the Long Island Sound Public Input Meeting on Monday, October 27, 2014 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Pasbeshauke Pavilion at Saybrook Point in Old Saybrook with the Old Saybrook Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission and RiverCOG (the Regional Council of Governments).; MADE by P. Ingellis; SECONDED by E. Grochowski; VOTED IN FAVOR: W. Smith, P. Ingellis, E. Grochowski, R. Fish, R. Esty, ; OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none; APPROVED: 5-0-0.
- Sea Level Rise Climate Adaptation Committee
Rebecca French, the Community Outreach Coordinator from CIRCA, which is the CT Institute of Resilience and Climate Adaptation, will be meeting with S. Prisloe tomorrow for a tour of Old Saybrook’s coastline. CIRCA assists towns in dealing with sea level rise and climate change.
The CT Association of Conservation and Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commissions will be holding its annual meeting on Saturday, November 15, 2014.
D. Sustainable Saybrook
E. Grochowski reported that she and R. Fish are working on the Solar Challenge.
R. Fish spoke with First Selectman Carl Fortuna about keeping Sustainable Saybrook viable.
C. Fortuna is planning to host a meeting at Town Hall to see who might be interested in working on Sustainable Saybrook. R. Fish asked S. Prisloe to attend the meeting and show attendees the Sustainable Saybrook web site.
W. Smith said the Conservation Commission can work on the environmental pillar, but the other pillars such as economy and community need to be supported by other groups.
S. Prisloe suggested that information about signing up for the Conservation Commission’s newsletter could be e-mailed out to those subscribing to the Sustainable Saybrook’s Sustainability Tips.
On the Sustainable Saybrook Tips page, there is information about the next Sustainable Saybrook meeting scheduled for next week. R. Fish and E. Grochowski felt at this time, there is not enough interest in holding a meeting next week.
On Wednesday, November 12, 2014, there will be a Solar Challenge workshop at the Old Saybrook Middle School on 60 Sheffield Street from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
E. Grochowski is planning to set up a Sustainable Saybrook information table at the Old Saybrook High School on Election Day, November 4, 2014.
- Wetlands and Aquifer Protection Commissions
W. Smith said there is nothing new to report at this time because the Aquifer Protection Agency did not meet in September.
The Aquifer Protection Agency will be meeting Thursday, October 16, 2014 at 7:00 p.m. in the 1st Floor Conference Room of Town Hall.
W. Smith said that the Conservation Commission would like to see educational signage, walking trails, a building or pavilion to hold educational events and scientific research, and they would like to be involved in the management structure and stewardship for The Preserve
R. Fish said that in early 1999, Great Cedars came up for referendum. There was concern about how that land would be managed. Per the Town Charter and the Town Ordinance that goes with it, Parks and Recreation has the responsibility for managing all parks in Old Saybrook. He distributed the letter dated 8/20/1999 that was written to Judy Preston who at the time was the Chairman of the Conservation Commission and a copy of the proposed Memorandum of Understanding between the Conservation Commission, the Old Saybrook Land Trust and the Parks and Recreation for the Stewardship Plan for the Great Cedars Conservation Area. This MOU was signed in early 2001 by the Director of Parks and Recreation, a Board Member of the Old Saybrook Land Trust and the Chair of the Conservation Commission.
Kathy Connolly and Paul Connolly spoke about the concept of a “Friends of The Preserve” group. There is a group of residents requesting that an ad hoc committee of concerned citizens be formed. These citizens have been heavily involved with The Preserve working on fundraising, leading hikes, etc. The fundraising phase for The Preserve is still very active. There is an agreement that has to be worked out with the State of CT over management of The Preserve. The group would like to start to brain storm and formulate what the citizens would like the land to be used for and how this can be done. The State’s plan will be adhered to, but K. Connolly felt it would be helpful if this interested group of citizens could begin the work now and report to Parks and Recreation.
W. Smith said he would like to continue this conversation at the next Conservation Commission meeting on Wednesday, November 12, 2014 at 7:00 p.m. in the 2nd Floor Conference Room at the Town Hall.
The Town is hoping for a closing date of December 15, 2014 for The Preserve.
The Commissioners asked W. Smith to bring a memo to First Selectman Carl Fortuna regarding the Commission’s interest in management and stewardship of The Preserve.
W. Smith would like Commissioners to work out a schedule where they would discuss what they’d like to put in the Conservation Commission’s newsletter at one Conservation Commission meeting and review and approve the draft for printing at the next meeting, and hopefully print the two-page newsletter two or three times a year. The frequency of the newsletter may change as time goes on.
H. November Appointments
R. Fish, P. Ingellis and J. Brophy will be staying on the Conservation Commission. W. Smith plans to talk with R. Esty and E. Grochowski about renewing their appointments.
IV. PROJECT UPDATES
- Municipal Landscaping Guidance Document
W. Smith reviewed the Department of Police Services Landscaping Plan with Commissioners. He asked R. Esty to review it before the next meeting for general discussion regarding ecologically based landscaping.
B. Regional Trailways
R. Fish and W. Smith met to talk about working with Westbrook to connect their trail system which goes to Cockaponset to the Old Saybrook trail system.
V. NEW BUSINESS
This was discussed under The Preserve.
This was discussed above.
VI. ADJOURNMENT
MOTION to adjourn the meeting at 8:35 p.m. until the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Conservation Commission which will be Wednesday, November 12, 2014, 7:00 P.M., Town Hall, 2nd Floor Conference Room, 302 Main Street; MADE by P. Ingellis; SECONDED by E. Grochowski; VOTED IN FAVOR: W. Smith, P. Ingellis, J. Brophy, R. Esty, R. Fish; OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none.; APPROVED: 5-0-0.
Respectfully Submitted,
Kathleen Noyes, Recording Clerk
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